By Jason Tam

If you’re looking to do more Invisalign, it is critical to have the whole team buy in.  There may still be many team members (including some doctors) that do not believe Invisalign treatment works or can be done as well as braces.  To do Invisalign well, takes a team that is, or at least appears to be, as experienced with plastic as they are with braces. The most obvious place where confidence and knowledge is needed is with the TC.  If your TC cannot answer questions about Invisalign as well as braces, or gives off the vibe that the patient should get braces for any reason, you’re probably not going to be doing as much Invisalign as you want.

Align likes to talk about how Invisalign patients are more likely to refer patients than those in braces and this is probably true in some ways due to the relative novelty of the appliance. However, for this to take place, the patient experience has to be great. Is the process of receiving Invisalign treatment in your office seamless for the patient just like braces?  If you’re still taking PVS impressions (which you shouldn’t for multiple reasons), are you getting good impressions or do you always need a series of them. If you’re scanning, is it quick and comfortable or does your staff member have to start and stop continuously throughout the procedure? Are the attachments going on well and is the treatment tracking? Do the clinical team members know how to answer basic questions? Do you know the answers to these questions, doctor?

One of the less obvious leakage points is during the initial phone call.  When patients ask about Invisalign, does the team member simply answer yes or do they enthusiastically talk about how much Invisalign the office does, the experience of the team and how happy the patients are? It isn’t uncommon for offices without proper training and scripting to unknowingly drive patients to braces, or to another office, on the initial phone call because the patient only wants Invisalign.

As I’ve said for years, just because we are orthodontists does not mean we own the Invisalign space.  We need to speak like experts and provide experiences like experts so that those we come in contact with will see us as experts. External marketing and tooting your horn is great for an initial bump in starts. Learning how to move teeth properly with plastic, making Invisalign appointments streamlined like braces visits and producing excellent results will help improve your own confidence and that of your team. Experience, confidence, great results, solid customer service and team enthusiasm for the product are the best ways to achieve sustainable, long term Invisalign growth in your practice. This takes a great deal of time and effort but almost anything worthwhile does and your success depends on it.